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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · club · spell · bulb · chip · bass · mate · pound

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pound — a weight
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spell — letters
  10. club — for golf
  11. chip — to eat
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bass — low music
  14. season — in sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — of the year
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mate — a friend
  22. spell — magic
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com